water heater and downstairs sockets in one?

[houswifeplight]

hi - so i had to plug my pc in to kitchen cooker socket to get online as all downstairs sockets keep blowing. I am a lone parent and so worried about the electrical situation as i think it is the water heater but, strange thing is that i turned that off - it says water heater on the fuse label so i am assuming that means my combination boiler in the kitchen, so turned it off at the socket. It is old boiler and still plugged in at a socket on the kitchen wall rather than direct wired. The boiler is under cover from B. Gas and fully serviced but they did fit an exterior expansion vessel few months ago. Anyway, I noticed that when i turned the boiler off and put the fuse switch back up, the sockets were all fine but after a few minutes heard the boiler rumbling and went bang again. So, dont want to try again. rang BG and they say its nothing to do with them - huh? Any ideas please.

Lyn P.S. says water heater and downstairs sockets on that one fuse

 

[JohnD]

The thing that trips, what letters and numbers are on it?

For example does it say "B32" or does it say "80A 30mA" and does it have a button on it marked "T" or "Test?"

Are you saying that when your combi is turned on, even if you are not running a hot tap and the heating is off, it still makes a noise and trips the electrics? Or does this only happen when you turn on a hot tap?

 

[houswifeplight]

hi

just checked that, it says B20, and yes, the combi boiler is making noise even when not using hot water or central heating, it usually has a good grumble when you fire it up which i put down to old age but having had it serviced regularly i assume its okay - i suppose i should try the fuse again with it boiler unplugged but find it tooooo scary..... last attempt was with the plug switched off at the side only, would that make any difference? oh, and the fuse at the box went when i wasnt using boiler at all but was live, so to speak....

 

[JohnD]

If it is a combi boiler, it should not be firing, or running its pump, when no hot water or heating is being used.

What pressure does the gauge show? Is water coming out of the pipe that goes though the wall behind the boiler? Are there any signs of leaks or drips? If the boiler has its own plug or wall switch, turn it off or unplug it and see if the fault goes away. If it does, you probably have a boiler fault. Water leaking onto electrical parts will tend to cause an overload or trip.

The "fuse" you mention is an MCB, 20A is unusually low power for a downstairs socket circuit, so will tend to blow if you try to run two or more heavy-load appliances (e.g. fan heater, washing machine, oven, dishwasher, tumble drier) at the same time.

Is it an old house? Is it rented?

 

[houswifeplight]

Hi - the pressure is under/low, but i was told by the last engineer service man not to adjust that at all. I used to move a lever underneath to adjust back up to normal range but that is also different now, since they fiddled with it, still there but hooked up differently I think. I can do it just dont like to as I note that the pressure goes back to normal if I use the boiler and is only low when not in use - if you see what i mean.
The socket/ power supply for the boiler is on the wall beside the boiler and not underneath it and looks clean. The house is very old but was refurbished by a builder 15 years ago and the wiring and fuse box etc is as his work then, although I have some issues with an upstairs light that's not working. I think there is a strange sort of trip system as when a light bulb blows, anywhere, it trips all the lights for that part of the house. This thing with the downstairs sockets and heater on a low level fuse? - it has been working fine for 15 years but wonder if the boiler is drawing too much power somehow? arrrrgh...........

 

[JohnD]

I think there is a strange sort of trip system as when a light bulb blows, anywhere, it trips all the lights for that part of the house.

that's quite normal if you use old-fashioned filament bulbs with modern MCBs. When you change to Energy Saving bulbs it will stop happening.

This thing with the downstairs sockets and heater on a low level fuse? - it has been working fine for 15 years but wonder if the boiler is drawing too much power somehow? arrrrgh...........

the boiler will not draw enough power to trip that MCB. The boiler would only cause it to trip if there was an electrical fault in the boiler, pump or associated electrical parts.

I reckon there's something wrong with the boiler.

 

[houswifeplight]

hi - thanks for responding all - so today i had british gas out to check the boiler and they say it is not boiler tripping even though the loud bang is happening in that area - my first thought was the boiler as it had failures in other things before, relief valves and switches n things replaced and they have the wiring running under the pipes at the bottom that sometimes drip, but anyway as they say its not the boiler I have to look elsewhere - they suggest the socket it is pluggged into, so what if i plug something into the that socket, say the kettle, and reset the fuse to see if it blows again - can this do any harm or cause a fire or anything? thanks

 

[mysteryman]

If you are a tenant, your landlord must get this sorted out.

 

[houswifeplight]

hi - thanks but i am not a tenant i am a lone parent left with little funds whilst seeking employment and no insurance to cover work on the house

 

[mysteryman]

OK. You need to use a process of elimination to find out if the fault is the boiler or something else plugged in to the ring circuit [all the 13 Amp sockets], or the ring circuit itself. Unplug everything, and put the plugs back in so there is only one in at a time until you find out which is causing the fault. If it is the boiler, you need to go back to British Gas. Their folk are very variable in quality. It can be better to establish a rapport with a good local independent.

 

[Stingray13]

Cant you just try un plugging the boiler as see if that fixes it? then try your other appliances.?

I would guess from your description its the pump maybe a preheat or a small leak somewhere

Must usual leakages are fridge, washing machine or boiler.

 

[JohnD]

it's the MCB tripping, not a RCD.

 

[houswifeplight]

Hi - well I bailed out on the idea of trying different things to plug in and test as I couldn't stand the drama of it. Got a man out to look at it. Apparently it was something to do with the socket and the light next to it as the light, the sort of under cupboard thing, was wired into the sockets circuit rather than lighting circuit, so he has disconnected that totally and said something about isolating the socket. ?? Now everything is back on including the boiler and so far so good. Thank you for your advice, I have been told the whole house needs re-wiring which is frightening bill to contemplate.

 

[JohnD]

if you are having electrical work done, especially in kitchen or bathroom, you must* use an electrician who is a member of a Compent Persons scheme. Ask him which one, and how long he has been a member (you can check him on the scheme's website) before you ask him to look at the job.

Personal local recommendation is a good start.



*there are alternative processes, but they work out more expensive and more work.

 

[houswifeplight]

Hi - looks like we're on the move again - lol .
So its the next day and everything still working - hurrah!
Can't see me getting the whole house re-wired before I lose it all together - is a nice project but needs new windows, new central heating and boiler etc before I could possibly try to sell and that's a bit of a problem without a job - oh those banks have a lot to answer for - many thanks for all your help
Lyn